Human leucocyte antigen and insulin gene regions and nephropathy in Type Idiabetes

Aims/hypothesis. Diabetic nephropathy seems to have a strong genetic compon ent. Genes involved in the genetic susceptibility to Type I (insulin-depend ent) diabetes have been suggested to have a role in the development of diab etic nephropathy. This study aimed to examine the role of human leucocyte a ntigen and insulin genes in susceptibility to nephropathy in patients with Type I diabetes. Methods. We carried out a genetic association study examining insulin gene polymorphisms using three large cohorts of patients with Type I diabetes: n ephropathy (n = 258), long duration non-nephropathy (n = 153) and a recentl y diagnosed (sporadic) diabetic cohort (n = 264). Human leucocyte antigen t yping results were obtained in a smaller number due to assay failures (n = 182, 126 and 200 respectively). Results. No significant difference was seen in the distribution of human le ucocyte antigen A, B, C, DR, DQA1 and DQB1 haplotypes and alleles between t he three diabetic cohorts. No significant difference was seen in insulin ' + ' and '-' genotypes and alleles between the three diabetic cohorts. Conclusion/interpretation. Human leucocyte antigen and insulin gene loci ar e unlikely to have a major role in the susceptibility to nephropathy in Cau casian patients with Type I diabetes in the United Kingdom.